Wellness Health & Well-being The Surprising Health Benefits of Ginger By Jennifer Nelson Writer University of North Florida Jennifer Nelson is a health and wellness writer with more than two decades of experience. She is the author of Airbrushed Nation: The Lure and Loathing of Women’s Magazines. our editorial process Twitter Twitter Jennifer Nelson Updated December 04, 2020 Ginger is well-known for its tummy-calming properties, but it also can help with painful menstruation and migraines. . grafvision/Shutterstock Share Twitter Pinterest Email Wellness Health & Well-being Clean Beauty If you’ve ever taken ginger ale for an upset tummy, you understand the health benefits of ginger. Going back more than 2,000 years in China, the herb has been used to treat nausea, upset stomach and help with digestion and diarrhea. Used in stir-fries and Asian cooking, the spicy, pungent underground rhizome of the ginger plant is firm with a striated texture. It may be yellow, white or red, depending on the variety, and is covered with a thin or thick brownish skin, depending on whether the plant was harvested mature or young. What’s ginger good for? As it turns out, plenty. A 2009 study found ginger supplements when taken alongside anti-vomiting medicine reduced chemotherapy-induced nausea in patients by 40%. “Therapeutically, it’s also used for poor circulation and lower back pain. On an emotional level, it can act as a catalyst if you are procrastinating and lack the drive to take action,” says Laurie Steelsmith, a licensed naturopathic doctor and author of “Natural Choices for Women’s Health.” Studies have shown it can also ease muscle pain, eliminate inflammation, help with painful menstruation and may even slow or kill ovarian and colon cancer cells. Here are some other health benefits of ginger: Nausea and motion sickness: Ginger is well known for its ability to ease nausea, and it can be helpful for motion and sea sickness. In one study, women suffering from morning sickness were given beverages with ginger during the first trimester of pregnancy, and when compared with women given a placebo, ginger alleviated the nausea in a large majority of the cases. Diabetes complications: Studies show ginger may reduce urine protein levels, decrease water intake and urine output, and reverse proteinuria, which is kidney damage caused by too much protein in the urine. Ginger may also protect nerves in diabetics and lower blood fat levels. “Ginger can help increase circulation, thin blood, and lower both blood pressure and cholesterol,” says author Steelsmith. Arthritis: A placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage found patients with painful arthritis in the knee who were given ginger versus a placebo experienced significantly less pain and loss of movement compared to those taking the placebo. Cold and flu: Chinese medicine practitioners commonly prescribe ginger to treat symptoms of colds and flu. The root acts as an antihistamine and decongestant, two cold-easing effects that can help with symptoms. Migraines: A double-blind clinical trial treated 100 patients with acute migraine with aura either with sumatriptan (a common migraine medication) or ginger powder. Both groups reported similar pain relief, but those who used ginger had fewer side effects. A dose of ginger Slice ginger chunks into water and simmer for 20 minutes to make tea. Sensay/Shutterstock Ginger is susceptible to heat and oxygen, so handle carefully when using this herb and store in a cool, dry place or the crisper bin of the refrigerator for two to three weeks. To make a tea, shave the skin from a piece of fresh ginger, cut off a 2-inch chunk and slice it into 2 cups of water to simmer covered for 20 minutes. Remove the slices and pour into a mug and add honey and a squeeze of lemon. Eat the slices after drinking the tea. Drink up to three cups of tea per day, before meals. Ginger capsules or powder are also available. Take at least 2,000 milligrams three times or more per day with or without food. Do not take ginger with blood thinners without first consulting your health care provider. Ginger may also lower blood sugar and interact with blood pressure altering medications, so speak with your physician prior to using ginger if you take any medications. View Article Sources Anh NH, Kim SJ, Long NP, et al. Ginger on human health: a comprehensive systematic review of 109 randomized controlled trials. Nutrients. 2020;12(1). doi:10.3390/nu12010157 Bartels EM, Folmer VN, Bliddal H, et al. Efficacy and safety of ginger in osteoarthritis patients: a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2015;23(1):13-21. doi:10.1016/j.joca.2014.09.024 Maghbooli M, Golipour F, Moghimi Esfandabadi A, Yousefi M. Comparison between the efficacy of ginger and sumatriptan in the ablative treatment of the common migraine. Phytother Res. 2014;28(3):412-415. doi:10.1002/ptr.4996 National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Ginger. Updated September 2016.